Down on the beach of Dover，56­year­old Channel swimmer Jackie Cobell bravely set off for Calais.The time was 6：40 am.28 hours and 44 minutes later the exhausted，successful mother from Kent crawled(爬行) to the shore and walked proudly into the record books.After five years in training，Mrs.Cobell became the slowest person to cross the Channel under her own steam.The previous record for the slowest crossing，set by Henry Sullivan at 26 hours and 50 minutes，has stood for 87 years before Mrs.Cobell started at Dover Saturday morning.

She had struggled through changing tides that swept her first one way，then the other.It turned the 21­mile crossing into a 65­mile one.She declared，“Time and tide wait for no man—and they certainly didn't wait for me.I was fully expecting it to get dark before I got to Calais but I never imagined I'd also see the dawn again.But I wasn't going to give up.”

Her feat(壮举) raised more than $2，000 in charity sponsorship for research into Huntingdon's disease，a sum that was continuing to grow as news of her achievement spread.That was why she did it.“I don't really know myself，” she said.“I just kept thinking of all the people I'd be letting down if I stopped.”

Mrs.Cobell took to the water so well at school.But after bringing up two daughters，she started to gain weight.Five years ago she took up swimming again and decided to prepare for the Channel challenge to lose weight.She became much fitter.Then came the big swim.“I practiced on Windermere Lake，” she said.“It's about half the distance of the Channel so I just doubled it，added some extra time，and worked out I could probably get to Calais in about 16 hours.”

Her husband David，trainer，official observer and friend sailed alongside her on a boat.She said，“I sang to keep myself going.When they told me I was a record breaker I thought they were just having a joke—until I realized it was the record for the slowest crossing.But maybe next time I might be a bit quicker.”

20．Which of the following is right according to the passage?

A．Mrs.Cobell crossed the Channel in order to set a slowest record.

B．Mrs.Cobell raised $2，000 in all.

C．Mrs.Cobell used to swim very well.

D．Mrs.Cobell crossed the Channel in a day.

21．According to Paragraph 1, Mrs.Cobell ________．

A．started to learn swimming five years ago

B．arrived at Calais on late Sunday morning

C．wanted to break the record for the slowest crossing

D．was too exhausted to move after crossing the Channel

22．Why did Mrs.Cobell spend so much time crossing the Channel?

A．Because the tides changed her direction.

B．Because she was not in good condition.

C．Because she wasn't good at swimming.

D．Because the winds kept her from swimming fast.

23．Mrs.Cobell crossed the Channel for the main purpose of________．

A．taking a risk 

B．losing more weight

C．raising money for charity 

D．becoming famous worldwide

24．How did Mrs.Cobell feel about the record she set?

A．Dissatisfied.  B．Excited.

C．Annoyed.  D．Proud.

I have had the privilege of meeting some very interesting people over the years. Some of these people made a great impact on my life, my views and personal philosophy. Others I met had the opposite effect because they represented attitudes, behavior and beliefs that were directly opposed to my views on life and my feelings about the value of all people.

One such person I met was a woman in her late seventies. She had been an active woman, raised a family and had engaged in helping others, and developed her own crafts to sell at selected craft shows throughout the year.

When I met her for the first time, I couldn't believe that she was in her late seventies—I would have placed her age more in her early sixties. After speaking with her for a short period, it was only then that the conversation seemed to turn to age. And, it wasn't a conversation about the frailty(脆弱) of age, or the aches and pains, or about pleasures lost.

The conversation, instead, focused on her zest for life and all the things that she was in the planning stages of doing. And, what she was planning to do wasn't about going to a seniors group so she and her husband could go on a bus tour. What she was planning was an excursion(旅行) to Europe, unaccompanied by any tour operator or taken around the usual sights by a local guide.

She really impressed me a lot because of her zest for life; for an uncompromising view of the future not in the least affected by her age; for the undying faith in knowing that there was a great deal of life yet to be discovered and experienced and yearning for each new image, discussion, smell, cultural uniqueness or experience.

16．From the text we know ________．

A．the woman had much sight­seeing around the world

B．the woman was willing to help others

C．the woman made great wealth by selling crafts

D．the woman talked a lot about her age

17．The old woman impressed the author because ________．

A．she kept young in spite of her age

B．she had experienced a lot in life

C．she never gave in to the aches and pains in life

D．she had a positive outlook on life

18．What kind of tone does the author use to describe the woman?

A．Doubtful.  C．Concerning.

C．Sympathetic.  D．Appreciative.

19．The underlined word “zest” in the fourth paragraph probably means “________”．

A．enthusiasm  B．concept

C．view  D．satisfaction

They have earned lots of money，so I ________ believe that the business is a success.

A．mildly  B．firmly

C．actively  D．tightly

Once the new rules are made，what matters much next is how they will be ________ to all the members of the club.

A．devoted  B．referred

C．applied  D．directed

Be careful when you cross this very busy street. If not, you may get________ over by a car.

A．to run  B．run

C．to be run  D．running

There ________ a great number of students entering for the competition，and the number of them ________ increasing.

A．is; is  B．are; are

C．is; are  D．are; is

What ________ will it make whether Mr.Black tells us the story early or not?

A．sense  B．difference

C．mistake  D．use

The professor paused as if________his students to ask questions on the point he had just made.

A．expecting  B．having expected

C．expected  D．to have expected

There is no doubt ________ first aid is only a temporary form of help given to a patient.

A．whether  B．if  C．that  D．which

—How long ________ like this?

—Three weeks! It's usual here that rain ________ without stopping these days of the year.

A．has it rained; pours

B．is it raining; is pouring

C．has it been raining; pours

D．does it rain; pours